The Bristol Blog features news and information about Bristol, Connecticut.

November 17, 2008

No more Sunday hours at the library

One cost-cutting step the city has decided to take is to eliminate Sunday hours at the Main Library.The library has been opening on Sunday afternoons from autumn until spring for a number of years, but slicing out the extra hours will help officials deal with rising costs and the prospect of sinking revenues.The library has traditionally seen heavier use during recessions, perhaps because people can't afford to buy books or possibly because it offers something free for families trying to stretch strained budgets.Mayor Art Ward said the move is one of a number of steps he's taking to hold the line on spending.I'll have more on the issue tomorrow.*******Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

32 comments:

Anonymous
said...

sad, with more and more people working extra hours and weekends, or going back to school while working, the city feels the need to cut out resources that can make a real difference in lives.....sad statement on the times we live in...CE

While every little bit helps, I would like to see just how much will be saved.There are many other areas of saving with less impact on services.Will staff be let go? Building still will be heated, and, this is a cut in services.

How about golden handshakes or early retirements for all those senior, hard working, dedicated city employees? Getting salaries and benifits off the books is the only true way to save money for the city.

How hurtful to working people and students lacking resources in troubled times.

Sunday access to newspaper's and computers are very important to those looking for work, or struggling on a budget and can't afford that new computer or software. Most employerss require resume's to be submitted via computer.

In hard times, the library gets used MORE not less.

The one free, safe and necessary place that everybody can go in the dark days of winter, and in hard times gets slashed. Pathetic.

Allow people the access!They NEED it.

Library hours are the LAST thing that should be on the chopping block, not the first.

Doesn't Manross have enough trust funds to maintain Sunday hours for the winter?At least ONE library would be accessible?

12:56pm how can you say thank god for art ward? he is the worst. does not give a crap about this city shutting down the library on sundays is no big deal to him . how about he himself taking a pay cut.

12:42 - Seriously, you need to grow up already. The mayor is looking to cut corners, plain and simple. Why must EVERY move he makes be scrutinized and turned into a conspiracy theory? Sorry you, your candidate or your COO couldn't get themselves elected, but it's time to put on your big boy pants and get over it....

no matter what cuts he makes, someone will have crap to say. these are times when decisions have to be made that will help us out in the long, hopefully short, run.haven't heard anyone offer up anything else other than the stupid idea of cutting his pay.

Hey, Mr. "I love to use the phrase 'big boy pants' in all my rants", I got a news flash for you. Not every criticism posted here is from someone on King Arthur's enemies list. Some of them are from just plain folks who know how to tell pandering from leadership.

Hey Mr. I love to use the phrase "news flash" (and the word "pandering")....while a few comments may be from outside the court of "King Arthur", most are obviously from a select group of disgruntled "enemies of the King" who like to stick it to him anonymously whenever they get the chance. These folks really do need to grow-up and put on their, er, well, you know....(LOL!!!!)

I would rather see the Library close on Monday or another weekday than Sunday. I work during the week and can not use the evening hours, since by the time I get home and prepare and serve dinner it is to late to go. I look forward to the Sunday hours which is when I have the time, and yes I've spent many Sunday hours in the library.

I am a college student and as of right now I live at school, but next year I will be commuting for one semester. I cannot get work done at my house and even when I come home on weekends I retreat to the library to get my work done as do many of my friends. I complained that the library did not have great hours as it was with a community college nearby as well as a commuter school right in New Britain.

The sad thing is the city is approving plans for a new school on Chippens Hill in an area where families including my own built for the sole reason to get away from the noise. People went up there for a more remote area of Bristol. I love that there is still areas of Bristol that is untouched land. There is no reason that Bristol cannot do rennovations on the schools they have. They will get more revenue from taxpayers by allowing a builder to subdivide that property and turn that into a development then to make that into a mass school property that will drive many families away from this town including my own.

This town has its priorities wrong. Cut a few measly hours at a library but spend millions of dollars on schools for the beautification of it. I do not understand this philosophy since when I was goin through school there were some classes when I did not have books for those classes. Bristol should start worrying more about the LEVEL OF EDUCATION and not what the building looks like and the grounds look like that they are receiving that education in. People are very materialistic in this town for being so tight with their money.

What should Steve do if the Press closes?

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

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